Guinea, officially the Republic of Guinea (French: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Côte d'Ivoire to the southeast, and Sierra Leone and Liberia to the south. Often referred to as Guinea-Conakry, after its capital Conakry, this name helps distinguish it from neighboring countries with similar names, like Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea. Guinea has a population of 14 million people and spans an area of 245,857 square kilometers (94,926 square miles).

Formerly known as French Guinea, the country gained independence from France in 1958. Its post-independence history has been marked by military coups and authoritarian rule. In 2010, Guinea held its first democratic election, although the nation has continued to grapple with challenges such as ethnic tensions, corruption, and human rights abuses by security forces. Issues such as torture and the mistreatment of women and children, including female genital mutilation, have been reported as ongoing concerns. In 2021, a military coup ousted President Alpha Condé and suspended the constitution, adding further instability to the country’s political landscape.